Ronald Meinardus

Few roles appeal to the Turkish president more than sitting in the front row on the big issues of international politics and having a say in the world’s future. After the humiliation of the lost local elections, which some pundits prematurely interpreted as the beginning of the end of the Erdogan era, the Turkish president […]

Even the winners had not expected such a clear victory. There is absolutely no doubt: the big winners are the opposition forces led by the new and old mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu. The equally clear loser is President Erdogan. He had set all his forces in motion to win the municipal elections and failed […]

“Even the smallest spark can lead to a catastrophe” said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas during his shuttle diplomacy trip to Athens and Ankara in August 2020. Tensions had been triggered by Turkish natural gas explorations off Greek islands in the eastern Mediterranean. Rival military maneuvers by Greece and Turkey helped to aggravate the situation. […]

Over the years, stable Turkish influence structures have taken root in Germany, encompassing numerous Turkish associations, mosques, and prayer houses—some estimated at around three thousand

Erdogan caused an international stir with his statements that Hamas is not a terrorist organization but a liberation movement.